PHILADELPHIA - Appalachian State University football linebacker Jeremy Kimbrough and wide receiver Sean Price both placed among the top three in voting for two of NCAA Division I FCS's most prestigious individual awards, The Sports Network announced on Monday. Kimbrough placed second in voting for the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS National Defensive Player of the Year) and Price finished third in balloting for the Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman of the Year).

Kimbrough received 18 first-place votes for the 2012 Buchanan Award and collected 25 second-place and 20 third-place nods, both tops among the balloting. He finished with 287 total points, just 32 behind the winner, Montana State defensive end Caleb Schreibeis.

The senior is the third Appalachian State player to finish as high as second in voting for the Buchanan Award. Linebacker Dexter Coakley won the first two Buchanan Awards in 1995 and 1996 and safety Corey Lynch was the runner-up for the honor in 2007.

Kimbrough racked up 143 tackles, good for the third-highest total in the nation and seventh in Appalachian State single-season history. He also ranks third in the Southern Conference and among the top 100 nationally with 12.5 tackles for loss (1.04 per game) and 11th in the SoCon with 4.5 sacks. The senior received first-team all-America recognition from The Sports Network, garnered a second-team nod from the Associated Press and was the SoCon's co-Defensive Player of the Year.

Price received 16 first-place votes and 312 total points in balloting for the second-annual Rice Award, 100 points behind the winner, Villanova quarterback John Robertson.

Price was the only freshman among The Sports Network's 97 all-Americans in 2012, garnering third-team accolades. In just 10 games, he caught 81 passes for 1,196 yards and eight touchdowns, shattering the FCS records for receptions (71, set by Cal State Northridge's Drew Amerson in 1999) and receiving yards (1,073, set by Marshall's Randy Moss in 1996). Price's 7.1 receptions and 119.6 yards per game both rank sixth nationally this season, regardless of class.

In addition to Kimbrough and Price, Appalachian State quarterback Jamal Jackson placed 14th in voting for the 2012 Walter Payton Award and cornerback Demetrius McCray finished 16th in balloting for the Buchanan Award.